%:~:,,,,,, ,,,,,,:~:%
:~:,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,:~:
~:,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,:~
:~:,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,:~:
%:~:,,,,,, ,,,,,,:~:%
&%:~:,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,:~:%&
¤&%:~:,,,, THE ALVAR FIELDS ,,,,:~:%&¤
@¤&%:~:,,, &&&#@#@#@#@#@&&& ,,,:~:%&¤@
#@¤&%:~:,, ,,:~:%&¤@#
##@¤&%:~:, FROM NORTH TO SOUTH, THIRTY ODD ,:~:%&¤@##
#@¤&%:~:,, KILOMETERS. FROM WEST TO EAST, FOUR ,,:~:%&¤@#
@¤&%:~:,,, THOUSAND METERS. FROM TOPSOIL TO STONE, ,,,:~:%&¤@
¤&%:~:,,,, A FOOT OR TWO. NO ROOTS CAN FESTER, NO ,,,,:~:%&¤
&%:~:,,,,, DUST CAN LINGER. ,,,,,:~:%&
%:~:,,,,,, ,,,,,,:~:%
:~:,,,,,,, HERE IS EARTH, CLAY, AND STURDY LOW ,,,,,,,:~:
~:,,,,,,,, PLANTS. BUSHES FRAME THE STRIP. THE ,,,,,,,,:~
:~:,,,,,,, EARTH IS BARE IN PATCHES AS LARGE AS ,,,,,,,:~:
%:~:,,,,,, YOU AND ME. ,,,,,,:~:%
&%:~:,,,,, ,,,,,:~:%&
¤&%:~:,,,, CROSS IT TO GET TO THE OCEAN, OR DON'T ,,,,:~:%&¤
@¤&%:~:,,, TO STAY WHERE YOU ARE. ,,,:~:%&¤@
#@¤&%:~:,, ,,:~:%&¤@#
##@¤&%:~:, ,:~:%&¤@##
#@¤&%:~:,, ,,:~:%&¤@#
@¤&%:~:,,, ,,,:~:%&¤@
¤&%:~:,,,, ,,,,:~:%&¤
&%:~:,,,,, ,,,,,:~:%&